Warner Fite

Warner Fite is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service at NYU Wagner and a Principal of Public Equity Group, a boutique consulting firm that serves foundations and nonprofit organizations where he has led engagements for a range of organizations in the social sector.  Warner has a broad range of experience in financial, operational, and strategic planning in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.  He began his career in the Investment Banking Division of Merrill Lynch & Co. where he spent 13 years and was one of the initial members of the firm’s private equity group.  Following his time at Merrill Lynch, Warner established an independent consulting practice providing strategic planning, business development and financial advisory work for nonprofit organizations and private equity portfolio companies in transition.  In the nearly 20 years in this practice, he worked with a wide range of clients including those embarking upon aggressive growth plans as well as any number facing financial or operational challenges. Warner has served as CFO or CEO for a number of client organizations in sectors that have included education and healthcare.

Warner has expertise in financial analysis and systems, building the knowledge base for thoughtful decision-making, and creating organizational plans and strategies.  He has experience in implementing performance metrics and measurements to align organizations with the drivers of their success, in developing strategic plans that reflect external as well as internal environments, and in successfully implementing those plans.

Warner earned his M.P.A. from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and an A.B. magna cum laude from Princeton University in Economics (with a Certificate in Political Economy).  He serves on the Board of Community Capital New York (2013 - 2018) and on the Advisory Board of Yonkers Partners in Education, both nonprofit organizations, and has done strategy and operations projects for both of these organizations.  Over the course of his career, Warner has also served on the Boards of 14 for-profit companies.